On World Mosquito Day, we sat down with GFAN speaker Krystal Birungi to talk about the role of the Global Fund in her life and the course of the fight against malaria in Uganda. She knows mosquitos and the ravages they can bring all too well, from studying them as an entomologist but also from the way malaria has touched her and her family.
Krystal, tell us about yourself, and why you decided to dedicate so much time to the fight against malaria.
I am an entomologist working at the Uganda Virus Research Institute under a project called Target Malaria. It is my goal to see a world free of malaria, where mothers no longer have to live with the fear of losing a child to this disease.
Growing up, my family didn’t have much. While my parents worked hard, they just couldn’t afford a lot of things including sometimes health care. Malaria was especially scary to us because it was this constant worry that you could catch it at any time a...
Joyce Ouma is a GFAN Speaker from Kenya. Below is virtual conversation with Joyce, who joined the GFAN Speakers Bureau this year.
To learn more about GFAN’s Speakers Bureau & how Speakers can be a part of your Global Fund advocacy visit our Speakers Page .
Tell us a little bit about yourself … I am a 24-year-old young woman who is passionate about the institutionalization of the engagement of young people in all platforms.
How has The Global Fund affected you personally? The Global Fund has procured life long medication for me and other people living with HIV across the globe.
How has The Global Fund affected Kenya? Kenya is a developi...
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Best Practices: Engaging the Speakers Bureau Online
As we start thinking about the next replenishment of the Global Fund, many of you might be hoping to make use of the GFAN Speakers Bureau. It remains unclear when international travel may open up again, and some are struggling with how to make use of the Speakers Bureau in a virtual environment. While typical panel discussions can work well, there is also a sense of “Zoom fatigue” and that panel format. In light of this, we wanted to share a successful example of online advocacy using the GFAN Speakers Bureau with a more unique format.
I am hoping to collect and share other good ideas on virtual meetings and advocacy with Parliamentarians. Please do share any ideas you might have!
The event that took place included 3 speakers, 3 members of the European Parliament, a Global Fund Secretariat Staff person and 3 Brussels-based CS staff. The call was about 90 minute long. Parliamentarians were ...
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Nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. However, Africa carries the highest burden. In 2019, the region was home to 94% of all malaria cases and deaths. The youngest are particularly affected. In many places, mosquito-borne infectious disease is one of the leading causes of death in children under five. But older children and adults are also hit hard by the disease: If they fall ill, they cannot go to school or work, miss education, or are unable to provide for their families. And Covid-19 has complicated things further.
Mirriam Banda Chisamba from Zambia is familiar with this as well. In 2019 her home country reported 5 million cases of malaria. Though when Mirriam was a child she had malaria almost every year. “This had an impact on my education, because I would miss out on school for days, sometimes nearly a week,” she says. “Back then we had no bednets, no ra...
I am Miranda Ekema Ndolo, I’m 25 years old and a nurse and youth activist. I have an amazing husband and lovely son who rock my world. I’m very passionate about health systems, services and policies and I have a particular interest working with communities especially communities that are dominated by adolescent girls and young women living with HIV. My work as an activist cuts across HIV, TB, and Malaria.
The Global Fund has given me a voice through the HER Voice Fund; to contribute to the SRHR and needs of AGYW and to lead community based responses to HIV on a Global scale.
Thanks to the Global Fund, Cameroon has been able to put in place programs meant to address barriers to HIV/ TB and Malaria services and also organize training for health care workers on human rights and medical ethics.
I am an advocate because I’m passionate about speaking and advocating ...
I am Naomi Wanjiru from Kenya , I am a mother and a nurse by profession.
I am a TB survivor and a champion and my purpose is to impact positively on the lives of the people who I meet in my line of duty most of whom are affected by TB. I walk with them through the journey of TB diagnosis and treatment. I walk the talk.
The Global Fund gave me the chance to live again at a time that I felt my life was coming to an endwhen I was diagnosed with TB of the Spine. Through the Fund, I was able to access all the required medication for free and on time. It also ensured that I got the psychological and emotional support from Community Health Volunteers who are trained and supported by the program. Through this support, I was able to manage my anxiety of looking for funds to buy the drugs and the mental effect of the TB diagno...
